Environmental cost-benefit valuation of solar-over-water deployment in California
Summary
SCH Number
2025070879
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Environmental cost-benefit valuation of solar-over-water deployment in California
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/22/2025
Document Description
UC Merced will advance our understanding of how solar-over-water systems can alleviate the barriers to achieving the State’s statutory energy goals by quantifying the costs and benefits of these technologies. UC Merced will perform a regional cost-benefit analysis that will include co-benefits and technology readiness level analyses and modeling of solar-over-water technology designs deployed on reservoirs and water conveyance systems in California, with suspended canopies and floating systems.
Contact Information
Name
Emily Field
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Mechanical Engineer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Name
Brandi McKuin
Agency Name
University of California Merced
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Irvine, Merced, San Jose
Counties
Merced, Orange, Santa Clara
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
Multiple
Other Location Info
5200 N Lake Rd, Merced 95343
322 Engineering Laboratory Facility, Irvine 92697
1 Washington Sq, San Jose 95192
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15306
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sec. 15306 provides that projects which consist of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA. These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded. This agreement involves data collection, research, and resource evaluation of solar over water technologies. There will not be any serious or major disturbance to environmental resources.
The project activity is also covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. The work performed under this agreement includes a paper study and computer modeling study where the potential siting of solar over water canals and floating solar will be modeled and analyzed. The co-benefits for the rural communities, environmental, and water saving benefits will be quantified for each potential location via paper study. There is no physical work occurring in this project.
The project will not impact an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies; does not involve any cumulative impacts of successive projects of the same type in the same place that might be considered significant; does not involve unusual circumstances that might have a significant effect on the environment; will not result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway; the project site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, none of the exceptions to categorical exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project, and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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